Technical Metaphor in Ukrainian Biological Terminology

Mariia Kukharchyshyn

Information about the author:  

Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2314-9601

e-mail: mariafilolog@ukr.net

Title: Technical Metaphor in Ukrainian Biological Terminology

https://doi.org/10.37919/2221-8807-2025-8-25

Rubric: Natural Sciences

Abstract: The article explores the metaphorization of technical terminology as a method of nomination in the biological terminological system. It highlights that the semantic interaction between the analyzed terminological systems is driven by the increasing integration of technical and natural sciences. The technical metaphor is identified based on the use of the source domain “Technology” within the biological terminological system. The study establishes that the relevance of the “technology” terminological sphere as a source domain of metaphors in scientific discourse is a result of rapid technological progress. Through the analysis of dictionary definitions, the evolution of the semantics of technical terms within the biological terminological system is traced.
Models of technical metaphor in biological terminology have been identified (device / instrument / mechanism → organism / organ; part of a device / instrument → part of an organism / organ; name of a technical process → name of a biological process). These models illustrate that metaphor remains a crucial element of scientific discourse and continues to play a productive role in the nomination of biological concepts.

Keywords: Ukrainian language, metaphor, biological terminology, technical terminology.

References:

Avramenko, O.B. (2010). Technique and technology as an objective reality of modern socie-ty. Scientific Journal of the National Pedagogical Dragomanov University. Series 13: Problems of Labor and Vocational Training, 7, 10–16 (in Ukr.).
Andriienko, L. (2024). Biological metaphor in sociolinguistic discourse: terms and explica-tions. Movoznavstvo, 2, 56–65 (in Ukr.).
Zahnitko, A.P., & Bohdanova, I.V. (2017). Linguoculturology: A textbook for higher educa-tion students. Vinnytsia: Vasyl Stus Donetsk National University (in Ukr.).
Krymets, O.M. (2017). Polysemy of terms as a result of the reintegration of scientific knowledge. Visnyk of Lviv Polytechnic National University. Series: Problems of Ukrainian Termi-nology, 869, 30–34 (in Ukr.).
Kukharchyshyn, M.I. (2023). Computer metaphor in Ukrainian biological terminology. Ter-minological Bulletin, 7, 199–206 (in Ukr.).
Kukharchyshyn, M.I. (2021). Semantic derivation in Ukrainian biological terminology [Un-published PhD thesis, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv]. Lviv (in Ukr.).
Melnychuk, M., & Khatsaiuk, M. (2017). The role of metaphor in mythological and scien-tific worldviews: Methodological aspect. Scientific Bulletin of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi Nation-al University. Series: Philosophy, 791, 12–18 (in Ukr.).
Semeniuk, E.P., & Melnyk, V.P. (2017). Philosophy of modern science and technology: Text-book. Lviv: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (in Ukr.).
Tropina, N.P. (2004). Semantic derivation in modern Russian language [Unpublished PhD thesis. National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, O.O.Potebnia Institute of Linguistics]. Kyiv (in Ukr.).
Shapran, D.P. (2016). Military metaphor in Ukrainian marketing terminology. Young Scien-tist, 5, 526–530 (in Ukr.).

Legends:

БФ – Abramchuk, O.M., & Kachynska, T.V. (2012). Biophysics: molecular and сellular biophysics, Glossary of terms. Lutsk (in Ukr.).
РУСІТ – Hanitkevych, M.I., & Kinash, B.M. (2006). Russian-Ukrainian Dictionary of Engineering Technologies. Lviv: Liha-Pres (in Ukr.).
СУМ-20 – Dictionary of the Ukrainian language online (Vol. 1–15: А – П’ЯТЬ). https://sum20ua.com/
СУБТ – Hrodzynskyi, D.M., & Symonenko, L.O. (Ed.). (2012). The dictionary of Ukrainian biological terminology. Kyiv : KMM (in Ukr.).
ФТТС – Nerush, P.O., Vadziuk, S.N., Makii, Ye.A., & Rodynskyi, O.H. (2005). Physiological Terms: Explanatory Dictionary (Nerush, P.O., Ed.). Ternopil: TDMU (in Ukr.).